MegaUpload founder Kim Dotcom claims Hollywood executives are pressuring the White House to tackle the file-sharing website. The US is trying to extradite Mr Dotcom from New Zealand to face racketeering, copyright and money laundering charges. American authorities claim his MegaUpload website facilitated internet piracy and cost copyright owners more than $US500 million.

The US Government indictment goes after six individuals. the case is a major one, involving international cooperation between the US, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, Canada, Philippines and New Zealand. In addition to the arrests, 20 search warrants were executed in multiple countries.

Kim Dotcom was one of four men arrested in New Zealand in January this year as part of an investigation of his Megaupload.com website led by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation :: Read the full article »»»»

Kim Dotcom has been allowed to once again tread the plush carpets of his rented mansion in tranquil New Zealand. The alleged superduper bad guy, criminal mastermind, internet pirate and international copyright infringer – Kim Dotcom – has welcomed the relaxing of his bail conditions and says it will improve his ability to fight extradition to the United States.

An Auckland district court judge today ruled Dotcom’s flight risk was minimal and had been overstated. The German national and Megaupload founder is wanted in the United States for alleged copyright infringement worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Judge David Harvey told the Auckland District Court he believes it is unlikely that Mr Dotcom will flee New Zealand, saying the original flight risk was overstated and he no longer needs to be electronically monitored. Judge Harvey said that Mr Dotcom and his co-accused had abided by all their bail conditions :: Read the full article »»»»

The German founder of file-sharing website Megaupload has been granted bail by a New Zealand court after a month in custody. Kim Dotcom, who has New Zealand residency, is preparing to fight US extradition hearings over internet-piracy and money-laundering charges. The 38-year-old was arrested on January 20 after about 70 armed New Zealand police raided his country estate at the request of the FBI.

Prosecutors say Dotcom – also known as Kim Schmitz and Kim Tim Jim Vestor – was the ringleader of a group that netted $US175 million ($164 million) since 2005 by copying and distributing music, movies and other copyrighted content without authorisation.Dotcom’s lawyers say the company simply offered online storage and that he strenuously denies the charges. Read the full article »»»»

Despite the claims of the MPAA and other supporters of SOPA and PIPA, file-sharing does not negatively impact box office sales in the U.S., according to a new study conducted by economists from Wellesley College and the University of Minnesota.

The focus of the study is on lag times between U.S. release and foreign release. The study found that longer gaps between a movie’s release in America and its release in foreign countries led to increased piracy in those countries, and correspondingly lower box office sales. The study estimates that pre-release piracy impacted foreign box office sales by as much as 7%

In the U.S., however, box office sales were not impacted by piracy at all. The study concludes that the impact of piracy is driven primarily by the lack of legal availability of content in foreign markets.